Add your name to the front of your postcards

One thing I do when mailing out postcards is to have my name printed on the front along with the image. That way your name is visually linked with your image and if anyone decides to pin up your postcard they always know who the artist is without having to take it down and flip it over.

This is a terrific tip that I didn’t want you to miss. Galleries understand this. They usually have their gallery name on the front–perhaps in combination with the artists’ names. It’s part of their branding that helps you remember them.

Next time you get something in the mail from another artist or gallery, notice the writing that is on the front along with the image. See how the text helps you remember the name of the artist in relation to the work.

You can also put your name on the front of the note cards you print for your own use. Around the border of the image, add something like one of the following.

A Note from Casey Craig

Thank You from Casey Craig

Birthday Wishes from Casey Craig

Why not?!

Got other postcard tips? Leave ’em here and help out your fellow artists.

Alyson you’re just so good at pointing out these blindingly obvious things that I never do! 😀

I’d love to see other artists’ examples of their postcards or invites, by the way. To see basics. Yesterday I saw an invite on a black background and it looked amazing (Lisa Call’s next show) – I had never even considered a black background.

Always! You are branding yourself just as any other business brands itself. I just recently created a new postcard with lots of thumbnails on a black background for mailings and studio handouts, and of all the postcards and bookmarks, that one is frequently picked up first.

The front of my postcard has an image of one of my Ancestress shadow boxes, and type which says: Michelle Davis Petelinz invites you to…

This has served me well in inviting customers to shows, and informing my mailing list members of various newsy events. I purposely did not use my business name since between the time I did the postcard design and now, I’ve changed it!

Your name on the front of the postcard in a complimentary font is a great idea – for some unknown reason have done that for years! Then you can repeat your name on the info side or not, giving yourself more space for good design, or other info. my work is abstract, so black in the background often works well, or a very deep version of a color that compliments the image.works even better…

In terms of “branding”, create a style for both sides of your card. If you send them frequently (and especially if not) then folks will recognize YOUR card before they even read it. Design simply, making sure your painted image is front and center. Yes, do have your name and site URL (URL does not need the “http://www” part!) On the mailer side can have great styling. Be sure to prioritize your text with the most important things in larger type, down to the details in smaller type. Another tip: if you are designing it yourself and you are not a graphic designer, use ONE font family, not multiple styles. For instance, if you choose Times, you can use the std font plus italics or bold for emphasis. Too many people shoot themselves in the foot by using too many fancy fonts. The reader will just tune the card out, just like a click-off of a web site.